Anime has never had a shortage of controversial titles. From the moment it landed on screens in the West, uproars sounded over excessive violence and suggestive content in anime, concerns not so different from those placed on any other medium that’s risen to popularity. Fortunately, the general perception of anime around the world has changed over the last 15 or so years, a shift that transformed what was once a niche interest for some into a mainstream form of entertainment.
Even so, there are still shows that find themselves at the center of controversy, regardless of how normalized anime fandom has become in the West. Whether their content becomes the topic of the week for fans to dissect and argue about on social media, or they face censorship and other localization issues when brought into regions outside Japan, modern anime titles can be just as controversial as ever.
Now, one of anime and manga’s most notoriously controversial titles is coming to Netflix, though it may not be one fans expect. Assassination Classroom, a title that’s been banned in several areas throughout the United States, will be joining the Netflix lineup of anime on May 1st, and it’ll make for the perfect weekend binge-watch.
Assassination Classroom Is Coming to Netflix on May 1st
The Most Banned Anime and Manga Series Ever Is Coming to Netflix
When anime fans think of banned titles, shows featuring extremely graphic content might come to mind. Infamous works like School Days, or beloved titles like Berserk have faced the ban hammer at one time or another, as anyone who has seen or enjoyed them might expect. Assassination Classroom, on the other hand, which is rather ironically banned in classrooms across nearly the entire United States, doesn’t exactly feature much graphic content at all.
In fact, Assassination Classroom is a comedic, often action-packed, and overall light-hearted series that turns emotional in its inspiring final act. The main problem for many, it seems, is the notion of assassins in classrooms—two words that, when placed side-by-side, aren’t a super comfortable sight. The actual content of the series, however, isn’t likely to offend anyone.
Weekly Shonen Jump · Ultimate Edition How Well Do You Know Shonen Jump Anime?
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01
Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, is one of the most influential manga ever published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series follows Goku on his journey from a child to the universe’s greatest fighter. What is Goku’s original Saiyan name?
✓ Correct! Goku’s birth name is Kakarot, given to him on Planet Vegeta before he was sent to Earth as a baby. His Saiyan rival Vegeta famously refuses to call him “Goku” and always refers to him by his true Saiyan name, Kakarot.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kakarot. Vegeta is the Saiyan prince, Bardock is Goku’s father, and Raditz is Goku’s older brother. Kakarot is the Saiyan name given to Goku at birth before he was sent to Earth.
02
Naruto Uzumaki dreams of becoming the Hokage — the leader of his village. Throughout the series, Naruto carries a powerful entity sealed inside him since birth. What is sealed within Naruto?
✓ Correct! Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, was sealed inside Naruto by his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, on the day of his birth. What began as a source of fear and isolation for Naruto eventually became his greatest ally and friend.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Ten-Tails is a different, more powerful beast. The Curse Mark is Orochimaru’s seal, and the Rinnegan is a legendary eye technique. Kurama was sealed in Naruto at birth by the Fourth Hokage.
03
In the manga Bleach by Tite Kubo, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki gains the powers of a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers wield unique weapons that have names and special abilities. What are these signature weapons called?
✓ Correct! Zanpakuto are the signature weapons of Soul Reapers in Bleach. Each Zanpakuto has its own spirit and name, and a Soul Reaper must learn that name to unlock its Shikai (initial release) and eventually its Bankai (final release) forms.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Zanpakuto. Sacred Gears are from High School DxD, Nen is the power system from Hunter x Hunter, and Bankai is actually a Zanpakuto’s final release form — not the weapon’s name itself. Zanpakuto literally means “soul-cutting sword.”
04
In Dragon Ball Z, Frieza is one of the most iconic villains in anime history. He is a tyrannical galactic emperor responsible for destroying the Saiyan homeworld. What is the name of the planet Frieza destroyed?
✓ Correct! Planet Vegeta, named after King Vegeta, was the homeworld of the Saiyan race. Frieza destroyed it with a single energy blast because he feared the growing power of the Saiyans and the legend of the Super Saiyan. Only a handful of Saiyans survived, including Goku and Vegeta.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Planet Vegeta. Planet Namek is the home of the Namekians and the Dragon Balls, Planet Sadala is the Saiyan homeworld in Universe 6, and Earth is where Goku was raised. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of the Saiyan race’s potential.
05
My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) by Kohei Horikoshi is set in a world where most people have superpowers. What is the term used for these superpowers in My Hero Academia?
✓ Correct! In My Hero Academia, about 80% of the world’s population possesses a Quirk — a unique superpower that manifests in childhood. The protagonist Izuku Midoriya was born Quirkless but inherited the powerful Quirk “One For All” from the greatest hero, All Might.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Quirks. Stands are from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Jutsu are techniques from Naruto, and Cursed Techniques belong to Jujutsu Kaisen. In My Hero Academia, superpowers are called Quirks, and they vary wildly from person to person.
06
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami features a power system based on negative human emotions that manifest as dangerous supernatural beings. What are these beings called?
✓ Correct! Cursed Spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen are born from the accumulation of negative emotions like fear, hatred, and sadness leaked by humans. Jujutsu sorcerers like protagonist Yuji Itadori use cursed energy to exorcise these dangerous beings and protect humanity.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Cursed Spirits. Hollows are from Bleach, Demons are from Demon Slayer, and Titans are from Attack on Titan. In Jujutsu Kaisen, negative human emotions give rise to Cursed Spirits that jujutsu sorcerers must exorcise.
07
In Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) by Koyoharu Gotouge, protagonist Tanjiro Kamado uses specialized sword techniques called Breathing Styles. What is the first Breathing Style that Tanjiro learns?
✓ Correct! Tanjiro learns Water Breathing from the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. Water Breathing is known for its fluid, adaptable movements. While Tanjiro later discovers his connection to the legendary Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura), Water Breathing was his first and foundational combat style.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Water Breathing. Sun Breathing is the original style that Tanjiro discovers later through his family’s Hinokami Kagura dance. Fire Breathing and Thunder Breathing are used by other Demon Slayers. Tanjiro trained under Sakonji Urokodaki to master Water Breathing first.
08
Weekly Shonen Jump has been the home of many of the biggest manga series in history. Which of these series has sold the most copies worldwide as of 2024?
✓ Correct! One Piece by Eiichiro Oda holds the record as the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 500 million copies sold worldwide. Running since 1997, the series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew on their quest to find the legendary treasure, the One Piece.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is One Piece. While Naruto (~250 million), Dragon Ball (~260 million), and Demon Slayer (~150 million) are all massive sellers, One Piece stands alone with over 500 million copies sold — making it the best-selling manga in history by a wide margin.
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Are you a Shonen Jump master — or still stuck in filler episodes?
Assassination Classroom takes place on an Earth that is at risk of destruction by a yellow, tentacled creature, who claims to have already destroyed a large section of the moon. The world’s superpowers are unable to take this creature down, but he does give them a chance to try. He comes to an agreement that allows him to teach Class 3-E at Kunugigaoka Junior High, in which each student will be given the chance to kill the creature they eventually dub “Koro-sensei”.
The series runs for only 47 episodes, making it the perfect candidate for a weekend watch when it hits Netflix on Friday, May 1st. By the time Assassination Classroom‘s final credits roll, viewers might just find themselves entirely won over by its charms.
Netflix Is Reportedly the World’s Most Popular Anime Streaming Service
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Assassination Classroom is just one of many anime titles hitting Netflix in May 2026. Alongside the 2015 action comedy, other new additions include Dorohedoro‘s second season, Spy x Family‘s third season, the all-new Weekly Shōnen Jump adaptation, Akane Banashi, and more. According to a recent report from the GEM Partners Corporation, Netflix is the current top anime streaming service in seven of nine surveyed countries, including the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.
25 Best Anime Ever Made, Ranked
Anime has exploded in popularity recently, so it’s natural to wonder what series in the medium rank among the best to watch all the way through.
Anime fans have plenty to choose from when using Netflix, and the service’s selection is set to only grow larger on May 1st. Those with the time can catch the notoriously controversial Assassination Classroom, a perfect choice for an upcoming weekend binge.
